Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-01-21
FRIDAY MORNING, JAN. 81, 1887.


The execution of the murderer, Cluve-
rims. in Richmond last Friday, ended a
tragedy which has done more than any
we can recollect to weaken the old time res
pect for, and acquiescence IN the supreme
law of the State. The waves of morbid
sentimentality which rolled around the
Jury, Appellate court and the Executive,
were higher than we ever recollect here
In Virginia, State where hitherto the
people have been 10 3re loyal to Law than
to sentimentaIity. 1t seemed, and doubt
less would have SO proved, had we not had
Governor of nerve to sustain the courts,
that punishment Of those convicted was
to be left to public opinion, to whose more
mature judgment the verdicts of the courts
were to be mere preliminaries, used to get
the case before the proper tribunal-the
people We fear that it will be long
time before the effect Of thu folly will
llag worn off and the public ulind resume
its conservative and sommor -snse reli~
! anca on the courts 2 hin
Z the laws e
If u, s not
,ient, IN existing
forbid Impulse to siu ID judgment on
vle result, resting--a tit foundation for
1t. on the ground that the prison
er did not confess his crime. A man who
was well aware that the slightest admis-
s!er os his guilt sealed his fate; who had
no religious impression about the danger
OF dying with lie on his lips. as evidenced
hy his forging falsehoca to the Cover
nor eleven hours before his execution in
order to get 8 respite, aud who impressed
the clergyman who attended him for
naoa vas as man whose master passion
was an absolutely terrible desire to live, y
creates grave doubts in these willing
minds by going silent to the gallows Such
doubts would break down all the bounda-
RES of reason and run wild in the field OF
sentiment and speculation.
Yet another class, while admitting chat
the prisoner may have been guilty, hold
that "a case was not made out against
lim.'' The crime was made out against
him and legally made out in the State s
name, without flaw or discrepancy, 1t only
lacked human being, other than the
murderer and his victim. to see the crime
committed. That was the only thing it
lacked. Not only was the evidence clear,
but the criminal contributed his share to
his conviction by dealing in falsehood
from the very first moment the hand OF
the law through its officers reached him.
There was not legal technicality that
was violated or omitted in his trial. 1t
would have been mockery of law to have
excluded the torn note Of the victim to
Cluyerius, and the Laura Curtis note was
brought in by one of the prisoners oWn
acts which found no other explanation
save in that letter. The trial was one of
the fairest held in Virginia, in all respects.
and as decided by the highest court III
Virginia was without flaw. The action
of the Governor was all on the side of the
condemned man. He spent days and
nights in hunting for any new fact upon
which to base a communication OF
punishment or even respite to give him
longer life. He sent for every man who
it was suggested knew anything about 1t,
examined every paper and every fact
brought to his attention, heard every man
who came on that business patiently, and
up to the moment Of the execution Kept q
reprieve made out ready at his hand to be
signed if any fact even plausible IN It's
character could be brought TO him War
: srI A.Fo ] "a O n
manity for the condemn
,ution Of his duty -.L&
an unNue in hearing the
opinions of u It few men have
ever shown in his place.
We have said that all this sickly senti-
mens displayed over this execution of the
law Of the State has had a bad effect on
that respect for the law and fol- the courts
which should exist. Let it end as soon as
possible, and let that old time healthful
sentiment regarding the laws and those
who execute them, which has character
lied Virginia in the past. return. Ii no
man can rightfully suffer the penalty OF
death under such evidence as gathered
around Cluverlous, strengthened by such
falsehoods as he uttered, then the road of
the murderer in Virginia is a clear one
and the only precaution he has to take IS
to see that his crime has no eye witness.
If such evidence is not conclusive then
there is no use for courts, and criminals
enCuld be tried in the court of Popular
ftjpfpion with Maudlin Sentiment, Gush,
Hand Morbid Sympathy for their counsel.
Al GRO DIVIDED ASYLUM.
There were sixty patients refused ad-
isslon to chs w. L. Asylum during the
sree months ending on January 1st. All